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fostersffff · 1 year

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The Big Gundam Watch, Part 10: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

As mentioned at the end of my post about the second half of Gundam Wing, the word on the street was that the sequel movie was Actually Good For Real. Naturally, I was skeptical: even with the context provided in response to that post about the nightmarish production schedule and sponsor requirements the series had, it was still the least good experience I've had with a Gundam show to date. The theatrical format can also be a double-edged sword if you don't know how to budget your time wisely, and quite frankly, I didn't have much faith in the Gundam Wing production staff to make a cohesive 90 minute movie after they had so much trouble with a 49 episode TV series.

I'm happy to report that Endless Waltz was, in fact, pretty damn good. In fact, I'd actually go so far as to say that of the Gundam movies I've reviewed in this format- the others being Char's Counterattack, Narrative, and Hathaway- this was the best! Not only was it a solid action movie with some terrific animation setpieces, it also addressed most of the problems I have with Gundam Wing, making both the setting itself and the movie much stronger.

THE STUFF I LIKED:

FLASHBACKS. Number one with a fucking bullet: I now have literally any understanding of the motivations for these main characters! And they were all pretty well executed! Trowa's a child soldier! Duo was trying to prevent the original Operation Meteor! Heero is suicidal and traumatized because he botched an attack on a mobile suit production facility and got civilians killed! Wufei... had one too!

I was a little worried about how much money this was going to have, because it was originally a series of OVAs. But that got put to rest when Noin and Sally launched the ITANO CIRCUS PODS followed by reaction shots of Taurus dolls moving at 800 frames per second trying to escape.

After spending the whole series bitching about how much the Gundams clash with original suits designed for the After Colony timeline, I think the redesigns they got for Endless Waltz finally made me stop being a hater. Especially Wing Zero; who cares how impractical contoured angel wings are, it looks fucking cool, and lends itself to that gorgeous activation sequence.

On the subject of mobile suits; the Tallgeese III isn't as cool as the Tallgeese- they really fucking nailed that design on the first take- but I was thrilled that when Char Quattro Zechs Milliardo Wind showed up to the fight, it was in a Tallgeese and not the Epyon.

And speaking of redesigns; Trowa got fuckin' yolked. Fuckin' Final Fight Mike Haggar looking motherfucker. I assumed they just bulked up all of the boys, but then one scene later Heero is as scrawny as ever, so they made the conscious choice to have Trowa buff as shit.

Dorothy showing up for five seconds to insult a bunch of random civilians for being cowards in order to rile them up and haul them over to the site of the conflict to protest Mariemaia's regime in a convoy led by her solid gold truck was perfection.

A brief return of my favorite version of Heero- sociopath Heero- when Mariemaia tries to taunt him over how indestructible the bunker is and he just goes "okay." and fires the Libra-annihilating gun down at it three times.

I thought Mariemaia and Dekim made a really great and complementary pair of villains. It makes perfect sense that 10 year old would be like "why hasn't anyone just tried being a perfect dictator" before you even factor in the grooming, and Dekim neatly introduces and ties up the whole "Operation Meteor was originally just a space supremacy ploy" idea that was introduced in the last episode of Wing, enhancing it with the added wrinkle that the Barton family were the equivalent of the Zabis in the Universal Century.

If you read my last post, you may think I'd be down on Relena abandoning her position of Total Pacifism. Instead, it actually feels like a natural development: the formation of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation was a unilateral agreement by all mankind that peace was what they wanted, so her goal of Peace via Pacifism was effectively achieved! But in the face of a group that would threaten that accomplishment for the sole purpose of self-interested domination, there's literally nothing to do but resist. And it's still optimistic because it flies in the face of the conventional, cynical wisdom of "good times create weak men create hard time create strong men create good times...", which is what Dekim was counting on.

THE STUFF I LIKED LESS:

The role of “Big Boss from Metal Gear Solid, but fucking stupid” is now being played by Wufei, who I literally groaned at when he appeared to defend Dekim from Trowa. I get it; they needed to have a cool mobile suit for Heero to fight against since Mariemaia and Dekim weren't pilots, and Wufei fits the bill since it's totally believable he's not over his tsundere mancrush on Treize, but the fact that his Category 6 MUH JUSTICE moment is stopped by Heero reminding him that civilians exist was just too much.

The idea that the Gundams were at a disadvantage against the horde of regular grunt suits because they were going for non-lethal takedown was charming, but also, like... Duo says that and then it cuts to Heavyarms fucking unloading. But maybe they were rubber bullets so it's fine, it's fine, don't worry about it.

Lady Une once again uses her unaddressed space-time warping powers to gain access to Mariemaia's neigh-upon impregnable underground bunker just in time to save her and Relena from falling rubble. I actually scanned back through the video to make sure I didn't miss something: we see her outside meeting with Zechs as he lands the Tallgeese III, and then the next time we see her she somehow made it into the compound and disabled every guard in one of the rooms. How?

Listen, Endless Waltz is a very elegant title and should make sense to basically everyone if they think about it even just a little bit. It was not necessary to explain it out for the audience.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

There were a number of lines and scenes in this movie that gave me a hearty, sensible chuckle, so I'm just gonna run down the ones that really stuck with me:

The way the dub narrator says "at the end of an... intricate battle" is the funniest and most polite way to describe the conflict of Gundam Wing.

“He’s pretty smart for a person who was elected democratically”

"I wouldn't be surprised if one day he starts saying that his lack of effort is the reason there's no air in outer space"

Zech's little book he's reading while waiting for someone to pick him up:

Not meant to be funny, but I love that the emblem of Mariemaia's regime is just "what if instead of an eagle holding a swastika, it was an eagle holding an M stylized like the one on Super Mario's hat":

Choosing to show Zechs and Noin reuniting and riding off to Mars together to start a new life as unromantically as possible by just having them play chess:

Speaking of Zechs and Noin going to Mars: I enjoyed this so much I looked at a summary for the sequel to this, the light novel series Frozen Teardrop, and then determined I will not be looking at anything else related to Frozen Teardrop.

Amogus.

IN CONCLUSION:

This was an incredibly pleasant surprise. Taken as a complete package, Endless Waltz seriously elevates Gundam Wing. It does so much groundwork for that series that I think you could make a compelling argument to skip Wing altogether and just watch Endless Waltz. Personally, though, I would just amend whether or not I'd recommend Gundam Wing to "if you're going to watch it, you absolutely MUST watch Endless Waltz, too, no matter how you felt about it".

Next up: I'm taking another break, as in the time it took me to watch through all of Gundam Wing I added a ton of other anime (and video games (and model kits)) to my to-do list. But when I do come back to this, we're going backwards and then sticking to chronologically-by-release order, starting with Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket.

#Gundam #Mobile Suit Gundam #Mobile Suit Gundam Wing #Gundam Wing #Endless Waltz #The Big Gundam Watch #anime #long post

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asterjennifer · 2 years

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Gif used with premission from @starcrystalrose

The two of us

Fandom: Mystic Messenger

Pairing: SE Saeran & Reader

Category: Fluff

Warnings: X

Word count: 1578

Author's Note: That's what it looks like. Easy and simple times together over and over again. It takes time.

Summary: Sitting with Saeran's not hyper. It's calm and quiet.

But that's fine, because both of you know it's the good type of silence. One that's warm and nice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun's bright today, shining down at the meadow you decided to rest on near of the city. Saeyoung's an angel to lend you one of his cars from time to time in order to see newer spaces around the usual Korean streets. It took a while of hiking, but eventually you both found a big grass filed far away from any other soul out there. A nice contrast, the nature as the only sound to witness when sitting together. Some days you don't need the world, you just need a quiet place away from other people. And if there's someone who would agree with that, it's definitely the redhead beside you.

He sat on the grass with his legs outstretched, head leaned back to consume the many warm sun rays, a good feeling considering he's not the type to leave the house very often. Which you're able to understand a lot more than any other member of the RFA. Might be the reason you two spend lots of time together, away from any disturbance to calm down for a while. It's always nice when he calls you up, asking if you're up for another little trip, there's not an occasion you refused. Since it's a good treatment for the both of you. Pack some water or sandwiches, take the car, discover an anonymous place and stay there for hours.

Such an easy thing to do, yet so affective. It's helping him find balance on days his healing process's rough, his anger takes the upper hand. And for you it's nice as you're able to forget about work and other issues for a while. In conclusion, you both gained a lot from these small journeys. Especially on sunny days that lifted the mood regardless of the events that took place the couple of hours before. The moment you sat down beside each other, it's the time where you're capable to leave it all behind and focus on balance. On the weather and nature around, appreciate whatever's coming to your minds. You both agreed to all of it.

"Are you still tired?"

You asked, disturbing the silence to inquire about his well-being. He'd told you briefly he's about to fall asleep back in the car. Saeran often needed a push to speak what's circling around his head, sometimes all the pushing didn't to the job either. More often than not, however, it got him to open up. Especially when it's just the two of you in a position so safe. The young man with chaotic red hair blinked up the sky a few times, able to feel your concern.

"I'm good. You?"

"Couldn't feel better at the moment."

He nodded slightly, acknowledging your mental state before paying attention to whatever had been on his mind again. It's nice to hear him talk, considering he didn't open his mouth a whole lot. For every single occasion where it's the case, you're grateful. You sat crossed legged as you looked at the many white clouds yourself. The smile's constantly plastered on your face, the silence gifting you the time you needed for a while. And with Saeran, you're certain to get it. Thinking itself could be a pain at times, in the moments where you're stressed or anxious. But with Saeran at your side, there's nothing negative treating down the confidence.

It's funny. He didn't need to do or say anything, just his presence's enough to keep your head at ease, a blessing you didn't quite understand. But who were you to judge, thanks to his agreement you're capable to keep your life together the times it became a horror movie or just really draining to get through. You're forever grateful to him and the best part about it, he's aware without you ever telling him. That's just what the both of you shared, like it's some kind of superpower. A feeling that's almost telepathic in some ways, whenever you're seeking his eyes for confirmation, he normally caught up right away.

The wind messed with your hair a bit, not too annoying and flying into your face. So there's no need to brush it back, it could float for a while if it wanted to. Nothing could set you off now, able to ignore your phones as you both left them in the car to make sure absolutely nothing's reaching, requiring focus. That's how it should be, you're tempted to do this a lot more often, yet it's hard to tell if Saeran would appreciate that. Not that he didn't like these chilling times, but he couldn't be surrounded by silence a long period of time. That's a secret he once shared with you late at night after one of his nightmares plagued his head.

He'd been used to constant noises back at Magenta, it's like an hold habit that's stuck in the back of his head. Therefore, you arranged these trips when needed, or even better, he's the one asking. But it's fine that way, you're happy regardless of the amount of travels you did, doing them alone's a great therapy. Your eyes wandered over the sky a moment longer before looking back to the boy next to you. Saeran's head's still inside the clouds, sometimes you wondered if he didn't get neck pain from the consistent position. Trained as he was, he felt your gaze on him, turning his head back to meet the smile on your face. It's comfortable.

"I'm glad we go out from time to time! It helps to forget the stress about the next party for a while."

You explained, not that he's unaware. Saeran knew better than anyone how much you enjoyed doing nothing together. He then hummed shortly, minty colored eyes looking straight forward without particular focus. It's not uncomfortable to stare at him, nor have him gaze back. Most people would feel awkward for getting caught, but the two of you just knew it's fine. Saeran's fine with your eyes towards him and you're fine with the silence he used to responded with. There's no need for tension, forced words or actions. All that's needed's honesty in every movement. Otherwise it wouldn't be so soft, the air wouldn't taste so sweet.

"See that cloud?"

His voice tore you out of thoughts, Saeran pointed up as you raised an eyebrow in confusion. You followed his finger to see one of the biggest clouds shape drastically. You denied by shaking your head, there's no figure you're able to make out. Saeran huffed before laying his hand back down to keep his own weight up. The slight shrugging of these tense shoulders somehow gained your curiosity more than the sky above.

"It looked like a bunny."

You gasped, quickly jerking your head back up to find the bunny in the sky. Sadly the cloud already shifted too much, it's not there anymore. Saeran cracked a little smile as you pouted.

"Aw man.. I wanted to see the bunny."

"You did, you just didn't realize it."

Saeran held the eye contact with a soft expression covering his face. That's a good look on him, the wrinkle freed features owned some more life to them with the way his eyes sparkled thanks to the sun. He even chuckled as you continued to pout, it made sense, at the same time you're disappointed you missed it, though. But the longer you searched every inch of his eyes, face and hair, the more your muscles realxed. There's no shame to be detected, although the conversation you're having by the intense stare's slightly intimidating. Or maybe that's not the right word, you couldn't identify it.

"I really like that you have your red hair back. It looks so nice under the sunlight!"

Saeran's lips curled up into another small smile, almost unnoticeable. But you're trained in reading the younger Choi for how much time you spend together. He's the one turning his head back up, which managed to have you break free from the hypnotizing feeling.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

You knew he wouldn't say more, that's why you giggled happily to look back up as well. Saeran wasn't a man of many words, yet he went out of his way to try improving when being with you. It's quite flattering. As you watched one cloud turn into something that reminded you of an old watch, you wiggled your foot from left to right. There's not much needed when being together, only the calm of the nature and feeling the other's warmth. You knew Saeran felt the same, it's what made these times memorable. As long as he would stay by your side, you're certain to pass even the hardest of challenges.

"One day I want to fly, haha. Somewhere far, you know? Somewhere exciting."

The laugh of yours filled the meadow. It's true, some day you wished to leave and see what the world had to offer. Something new, getting an culture shock and stay at a strange place for at least a week. Maybe you wouldn't even plan where to go, only pack a suitcase to see where destiny's going to bring you. And, of course, take Saeran with you. You'd bet he'll love to see an brand new environment too. There's a long moment of nothing hanging in the air, no tension, no suffocating pressure. Neither sadness nor anger. Just the feelings the both of you shared. Then, Saeran hummed again.

"Let's do that. It'll be nice."

#mystic messenger #mm #mystic messenger saeran #saeran choi #saeran #ff #saeran x mc #au #one shot #x reader #fluff #se saeran #secret ending saeran #se Saeran x reader #se Saeran x mc

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nightshine629 · 2 years

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Could I get an Encanto matchup, please?

so I’m Lexi and my icon is me! (You can also check my "#vintage inspired" tag for a closer look!)

I’m 21, straight, she/her, 5’4, & ISFP.

Pros? I’d say I’m playful, talkative, loyal as a dog, great listener, smiley (albeit I’ve got resting bitch face), sarcastic, and most would probably describe me as either adorable yet cursed or adorably cursed. I’m definitely not a stranger to being called a cryptid lol

Neutral? I’m very sensitive, mildly socially awkward, tend to ramble a lot, I

can be a bit of a pack rat (I tend to keep a lot of unnecessary things either out of sentimental value or just cause it think it’s neat even if other people think it’s just junk lol), mildly superstitious, and am a bit of a perfectionist

Cons? I’m shy, anxious, a little clumsy, stubborn, non-confrontational (unless truly needed), and can be petty/passive-aggressive

Likes/Hobbies: Playing bass, secondhand shopping, DIY projects, music, art, photography, and horror movies

Dislikes: Being underestimated, my passions/interests being mocked (let’s just say I’ve always been a bit of a black sheep 😬), being interrupted (I’ve had trouble in the past with coming off as quite literally invisible to peers), and...country music? 🤷🏾‍♀️

Fun facts about me:

* Sometimes I write music (mainly just basslines though)

* I once accidentally won an art show (Yes I do mean accidentally. I wasn’t even planning on entering until I was basically forced to🤡)

* Erm…I used to work at a daycare?

Hope that’s enough info. Thanks in advance!

You sound like such a lovely person! And I had to admit your app sent me thinking in circles quite a bit. But a few words of your own description made me settle and find a perfect match for you.

I pair you up with none other than our resident dreamer, Mariano!

Mariano isn’t given enough credit within the fandom or in the movie itself. He is a kind man who is family orientated and wishes to have a family of his own one day. Creative and a man with so much love to give, he wishes to find that right person to devote himself to one day. But then there was just one day, you smiled at him. And that man was gone.

-Mariano knows what it feels like to be constantly interrupted. So when you go on your rambles, he’s sure to listen and interject with a nod or a response. He’s quite the listener, making sure you know that he supports you and will only gently push you back on topic if you stray too far into areas that distress you. And in return, you listen to him when he talks and you give him the same respect he shows you of not interrupting him. He’s had it done to him so many times that he feels like no one really wants to hear what he has to say…all but you.

-His supportive nature continues to your interests as well. There’s not a person around who knows he writes poetry, he’s use to being mocked and openly shamed for loving writing literature and doesn’t take any chance sharing them. Mariano keeps his interest close to his heart until you came along. He’s always excited to show you new pieces he’s written, plenty inspired by you and his love for you. And he’s just as excited and supportive of your own music writing even if you think it’s just that. Mariano will even suggest doing a project together—with his poetry and your music? You would making something very beautiful together.

-Mariano sees your clumsiness as adorable. He doesn’t mean that in a bad way but as a clumsy man himself, he is always there to lend a hand. When you’ve worked with the children of Encanto, he’s there to lend a hand. Not only to spend more time with you but as a man proclaiming to have want a big family, he knows that there’s troubles with having so many children so he needs to learn and get use to the chaos of so many if he’s going to make die on his promise. He hopes to have that big family and he hopes to spend it with you. If you’d have him.

#disney encanto #Encanto matchup

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smokeybrandreviews · 2 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Thank You for Your Pains

I’m on record as to being a fan of Shakespeare. I particularly enjoy adaptions their work. Modern updates or unique interpretations of those old timey prose always pique my interest. Real or not, genius or plagiarist, Bill Shakes really developed one hell of a bibliography it it’s lifetime. I’ve written at length about my love for the violent camp which define the Nineties take on Romeo and Juliet. I don’t care for that story overall but the style in which Baz Luhrmann tells that story is more than enough to make up for the very problematic narrative. It’s wild to think that, with a flair for the unique and an eye for the aesthetic, my entire perspective could change over something i objectively do not like. So what happens when that treatment is used on something i properly enjoy? Well, A24 decided to let Joel Coen do just that and we got The Tragedy of Macbeth.

The Outstanding

The very first thing which strikes you upon watching this film, is the sound design. I was immediately captivated by what i was hearing, long before any substantial image found the screen. What you hear really sets the tone for what you see because, and i say this with a reverence and accolades due, there isn’t much to actually see. That sound design needed to be impeachable because there are no real set pieces or traditional movie moments to really gripped an audience.

I spoke briefly about style and how it can alter one’s entire perspective about a work and this take on Macbeth definitely has that. There is a minimalist nature which defines this film, which informs and contrasts the narrative. Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare works. I know this story inside and out. To see it presented like this? F*cking genius. Macbeth is a story that lends itself to the gaudy. So much passion. So much rage. So much of everything. It is, in effect, melodramatic slop but not this version. This version is not that. This one is concise, to the point, and focused; A stark selection on the play, overall, but one hundred percent in line with the presentation.

Joel Coen is a master of his craft, man, and that sh*t is put on full display with Macbeth. He and his brother have made classics. Fargo, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men, True Grit; The list is long and The Tragedy of Macbeth slides right in there. I can’t say it’s his strongest work but it’s up there. Joel really directed his ass off with this one. It’s never easy to put your own voice into Shakespeare but Coen has done that exceptionally well.

I also have to mention how he adapted this screenplay. Like, Joel wrote this sh*t. Dude’s hands are all over this movie and i think it’s that much better for it. I also know that no major studio would touch this f*cking thing, not in the way Coen wanted to make it anyway. I love Macbeth and i love Coen’s truncated spin on that tried and true tale. Not surprised i would because, again, The Big Lebowski and others exist but i am in awe

The camera work does a lot of he heavy lifting in this production. Everything is so small, so minimal, that you must find other ways to engage the audience. Sound design is one, the overall looks is another and camera work really goes a long way to simulating action. Macbeth isn’t really that action packed to begin with so to have such dynamic camera move helps to fool the audience into thinking they’re not just watching a series of passionate monologues or exchanged for nearly two hours. This is a play, performed for a single man, shot like an Oscar worthy film.

Kind of hand-in-hand wit the camera work, the cinematography in Macbeth is some of the best I've seen in years. It’s wild to think that these sets are so small, that everything is so claustrophobic but, at the same time, they all feel so very epic. That has everything to do with the framing and shot composition. That has everything to do with the cinematography. This movie is f*cking gorgeous.

The editing, too, is high quality. I mentioned this being a stage play with movie sensibilities? Yeah, that caries over to the editing, too. I was very surprised by how well this film was cut. There’s no fat on this rind. Coen wants to tell you a story and he he does just that, getting you to every scenes that is absolutely necessary. This makes for a tight, well paced, viewing experience which makes sense because the choice to keep the Old English dialogue can be near impenetrable by audiences who don’t want to engage.

This movie is a whole ass technical marvel. Every aspect that would be used to construct a film, is executed at the highest level. I haven’t seen this much love for a production, this much skill in it’s construction, in some time.

This list is already pretty substantial and i haven't even gotten to the performances. Oh, the performances. So man stand outs. Such great acting displayed. This entire cast really give their all, every second they’re on screen. Alex Hassell was surprisingly decent as Ross. Kind of puts his Vicious in a terrible f*cking light, actually. Harry Melling, too, does a great job as Malcolm. The younger Dursley continued to impress post-Potter. Brenden Gleason, Kathryn Hunter, and Moses Ingram also really do their thing, even if they aren’t on screen for as long as I'd like but this movie is, for sure, driven by Denzel and Frances.

Frances McDormand never turns in a bad performance. There’s a reason she’s in anything the Coens make. I mean, she’s married to Joel but it’s more than that. Frances is really f*cking good at her job and she really proves that with her take on Lady Macbeth. There is emotion and nuance and regret laced throughout this performance and i was captivated by every second of it.

McDormand had a fantastic foil, someone to really elevate her own performance, in Denzel Washington. It was a bit jarring to see him portray Lord Macbeth at first. I’ve never seen Washington do Shakespeare before but he was brilliant in the role. All of the things that make him a movie star The charisma, the swagger, that smirk, the intensity; It’s all here. It’s never too much but it is a lot, exactly how a man spiraling into madness would be. I am a fan of Denzel the movie star but this is the first time i can say i was impressed by Denzel the actor.

I have to say, the chemistry between Washington and McDormand is something really special. I wrote an entire essay about how impressive it was to see an age appropriate love interest for Washington but their energy together is really compatible. I really believed their relationship and it was dope that paring was properly old.

The Verdict

I f*cking loved this movie, man. Of course i did. Washing and McDormand are two of my favorite all-time actors. Joel Coen is one of my favorite directors. Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. A24 is my favorite studio. This thing was tailor-made for me to gush about and gush i for sure did. The Tragedy of Macbeth is an amazing film the a lot of people will absolutely write off because of the choices made to bring this production to life. It;s a shame because those who will pass on this, will pass on one of the best films of the last half decade. The Tragedy of Macbeth is a movie for movie fans. The performances are stupid strong, the direction is even stronger and the the overall aesthetic is something more than lovely. Every aspect of this film is top tier creativity at it’s finest. It’s art house, for sure, but it’s also an A4 film. You know what you’re getting into when a movie drops from that studio and this thing might be the most A24 I've seen since Under the Skin, another oft maligned masterpiece. People will teach this movie in the future, it’s just that good. The Tragedy of Macbeth is a masterpiece. I beg you to sideline your bias and really let this film get it’s hooks into you. I promise you won’t regret it.

#Smokey brand Movie Reviews #The Tragedy of Macbeth #Macbeth #Shakespeare

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itswednesdaymesdudes · 3 years

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4 (animated) movies/series you will probably enjoy if you liked the Artemis Fowl-series

The way the adaptation from earlier this year turned out had me so irked I unconsciously started looking for similar things to enjoy instead. So here are a few of them. Most of these are pretty well known, but oh well.

1. Cowboy Bebop

In a post-apocalyptic world where the Moon blew up and Earth is largely inhabitable, an ex-criminal with a knack for forming nemeses, an ex-police investigator, a cryogenics survivor, an eccentric hacker, and a dog endowed with human intelligence form an inter-galactic bounty-hunting team in order to escape their shitty pasts. (That was a mouthful.) Through a series of well-written action adventures, each of them is forced to come to terms with their old lifestyle and choices. This makes for complex, fleshed out characters and a surprising exploration of adult, environmental, and societal issues. Is enjoyable even if you generally don’t watch anime. Worth checking out for the amazing jazz soundtrack, spaceship design, and Western genre influences alone.

2. Die Hard (1988)

Eoin Colfer once described the plot of the first book as ‘Die Hard with fairies��. A pre-Christmas air of this action classic made me realise just to which extent this is the case. Like the book, it takes place on a Christmas Eve, it involves a heist (of its own Holly, not to mention, who btw packs a punch), ultimately to be solved by one (1) Irish-American police detective. It features a foul and remorseless villain, but a complex one at that (woohoo Alan Rickman). Its action sequences also seem to have influenced some events in the book (looking at you, c4 explosion and final fight). So yeah, great watch if you want to imagine what the action scenes could have looked like.

3. Zootopia

An at first glance surprising, but worthy mention. Apart from it being a kid-friendly exploration of implicit prejudices in society and the nature vs. nurture debate, it captures a first-of-her-kind police officer and a conman while they reluctantly pair up to solve a case that is about to cause permanent societal division. To top this off, it features a Russo-Italian polar bear maffia, an overly demanding police chief, a kleptomaniac weasel, and a seemingly innocent, power-hungry and manipulative villain (honestly I might be reading too much into this but idk if someone involved in production got inspired👀). Whenever this movie is mentioned, I cannot help but wonder how Disney got its elements so right without needing to try, while managing to get the actual thing so, so wrong? Sigh. Moving on.

4. Road to El Dorado

Last, but definitely not least (after Bebop probably my favourite on this list). An unhinged bard and a scheming rogue, with a respective appetite for adventure and gold, manage to find their way to a secret civilization and, through a combination of wit and dumb luck, almost con it out of a big chunk of its gold. ALMOST. Broken promises and the arrival of the real Bad guys, which threatens the exposure of the civilization, lead to a last-minute change of plans. What makes it even better is that the whole movie (courtesy of Dreamworks) seems to be a jab at 90s animated features from a company we all well know. It pokes fun at portrayals of white/male saviours and indigenous people/women in children’s animation of its time (including itself). Every so often, an Elton John track plays in the background (ngl “It’s Tough To Be A God” will always be a jam). The comedy is very character- and dialogue-based, and Kenneth Branagh redeems himself by lending his voice to Miguel. Overall, great fun.

Did I miss something? Pls comment, because it seems like it will take a while before the series gets an adaptation that will actually capture its worth (no pun intended)

#artemis fowl #worked on this instead of my paper due tmmrw fml #fowl twins #domovoi butler #holly short #mulch diggums #opal koboi #foaly #might delete later

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cashforrester · 4 years

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rank all the songs on the trolls soundtracks!

Alrighty! Since there's 33 total, I'm going to start at #33 and go up to #1, aka the best song in both Trolls combined soundtracks! Please note that I'm not up to debating any of these placements and if you try, I'll scream -- I'm not an expert on much, but I am on the world of Trolls and that's absolutely final. Also worth noting is that even #33 is a masterpiece; this list really isn't from bad to good, it's more from 'pretty good' to 'absolutely rocked my world and changed it forever more!'.

33. The last place spot goes to "Rainbows, Unicorns, Everything Nice" from Trolls: World Tour! It’s a fun little bop and it got a small chuckle out of me but in the end, it’s super short and a little too obvious.

32. “The Other Side” by SZA and JT has to score low. I know it was used to bookend Trolls: World Tour or at least the instrumentals were, but it’s one of the more boring songs on the soundtrack which is the closest to a criticism of one of these songs I’ll have.

31. “Just Sing”, the non-film version, goes here. I know this seems low and it kind of is, but that’s because outside of the context of the movie, the song doesn’t have the same punch! The movie version will be higher on the list!

30. Next goes to "What U Workin' With?" by Gwen Stefani and Justin Timberlake from Trolls! It wasn’t super utilized in the movie so it’s just kind of a spare song on the soundtracks, even if it is a fun bop! I still dance along when it comes on my playlists but the other songs are more integral to the plot.

29. The next spot goes to "Don't Slack" by Anderson Paak and Justin Timberlake, aka the voices of Prince D and Branch! It’s used in the credits of Trolls: World Tour and they’re cute little credits and a cute little song but because it wasn’t used in a more relevant way, it has to rank lower than the others.

28. "I Fall to Pieces" by Sam Rockell, aka the voice of Hickory from Trolls: World Tour comes next! It’s a short but totally funny country tune that’s used well in the plot and made me smile. It is very short though and more of a joke than anything else, but the music isn’t bad so here we go!

27. "Rock N Roll Rules" by HAIM comes next and it’s a really REALLY good song, don’t get me wrong! I love the instrumentals and how they’re used in Trolls: World Tour and I still wish they’d gotten the lead singer of HAIM to voice Queen Barb instead of Rachel Bloom, but ultimately it just reminds me we didn’t get a great rock vocalist for the most important character in the sequel.

26. "It's All Love" by Andersen Paak has to come next! I love this song actually but there’s two versions on the soundtrack and this is the non-film version so it’s got to score lower than songs actually used in the movies, but holy heck, it’s a really good song, I’d highly recommend it.

25. Another song that’s just used as a joke is "The Sound of Silence" by Anna Kendrick, aka Poppy in Trolls and this ranks higher than the others because it was the first real joke song and it made me laugh so hard I cried!

24. "Barracuda” is the worst of Rachel Bloom’s vocal performances in Trolls: World Tour and I hate to say it, I really do, but at times on this one, you can definitely hear that she isn’t a rock singer. It scores higher than the others so far because it was used in a super plot relevant moment and super effectively! AND the most offensive part of the song to my ears, when she says the titular word horribly, was cut out of the film, so it gets 26th instead of last place for being a song that’s hard for me, the King of Suspension of Disbelief, to take seriously.

23. “They Don’t Know” by Ariana Grande comes next. It’s a fun bubbly song that fits Gristle and Bridget’s first date in Trolls perfectly and it made me really really want a roller-skating date at some point in my life. It gets points off for not being able to understand the words and also because none of the characters actually sang it. Songs in the backgrounds of musicals score lower with me.

22. I have to put “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake here. It’s one of my favorite songs ever but the film version is even better! It gets higher than other non-film versions because of how much it was used for advertising, it basically became synonymous with the Trolls franchise and that sparks joy.

21. And on that note, I have to put “True Colors” the non-film version, before we get to our top twenty. It’s such an amazing song but in the scope of the Troll world... well, the film version is going to score way higher, you’ll see.

20. "Trolls 2 Many Hits Mashup" in Trolls: World Tour has to come next. It’s the last joke song, and the highest scorer because at least they committed to the joke of pop music being way too much! The scene in its entirety is hilarious and all the voice actors really did their best!

19. "Leaving Lonesome Flats" from Trolls: World Tour comes next! It loses some major points for not being sung by a character in the movie but it’s basically sung by the location that is Lonesome Flats and I love that! It’s a fun little country dirge that really makes us feel transported and it also slaps.

18. "Crazy Train" is maybe the average of Rachel Bloom’s performance as Barb in Trolls: World Tour. It’s over the top and not necessarily in a good way but it’s inoffensive to the ears and a good song notwithstanding whether it’s a cover.

17. "Trolls Wanna Have Good Times" has to come next which isn’t fair, really; the only reason it’s not higher is because it’s clearly trying to do as well at an opening medley as its predecessor Trolls did with their opening medley. As it often is with sequels, the opening number really didn’t measure up. It was made up of some really fun parts and it gets points for having personalized lyrics (’lived underground away from the world till I had my life changed by a beautiful girl. Just need the guts to tell her that she’s the one’? Amazing!)

16. "Hair Up" from the opening of Trolls comes next! It’s purely sentimental that its this high but every time I hear this beat, it’s like I’m about to start watching Trolls and my whole mind and body get happy so it had to be top twenty, although not fifteen because it’s not the best of the best.

15. "Born to Die" by Kelly Clarkson, aka Delta Dawn, from Trolls: World Tour comes next. My favorite songs from the sequels were the introduction songs for the most part, and this song did a great job of summing up the differences between country trolls and pop trolls. It was great for plot, character, and conflict! It’s just not the kind of music I bop to - ironically, it’s lower than the other introduction songs for me because it’s not fun, which I know is their whole thing, but my whole thing is having fun!

14. "Atomic Dog World Tour Remix" is the funk trolls introduction song in Trolls: World Tour and it’s funky and fun and fresh and I love it! There’s not that much to say about this one, it’s used pretty quickly but very effectively from a storytelling standpoint! It quickly puts us into the world of the funk trolls.

13. "One More Time" is a very nearly perfect introduction song for the techno trolls in Trolls: World Tour! I love how the emphasis of this song is the instrumentals and the dancing more than the actual words -- the techno trolls are big on synchronicity and beats and it’s something that differentiates them from the other kinds of trolls and also makes them a devastating first colony to attack in the movie. They’re all about unity and togetherness and something about attacking and tearing apart the group that’s all about syncing up is so tragic.

12. “Rock You Like a Hurricane” is the best Bloom sounds in the movie as Barb, and it’s also her introduction song, not surprisingly. The instrumentals are amazing both as a display of talent and power and her voice lends itself well to the moment; it’s a great opener for the rock trolls and it made me so excited to see more from them!

11. “Perfect for Me” is Trolls: World Tour’s answer to the excellence that was the True Colors duet and it was really cute! It wasn’t quite as perfect for the moment as True Colors was, which is funny because this one was written for the movie but I don’t know, since it was written for the movie, I’d have hoped it’d be better? More fitting? It’s a fine enough song that sometimes I listen to sadly while lying down in my bed but in the Trollverse, it’s not top ten material.

10. “September” comes next! It’s the song that the Trolls start singing as soon as they escape the Bergins and it’s their celebration song and I love it for that! It’s also used in the credits of the first movie which makes me love it more; I don’t know, it’s performed and sung really well and makes me really happy. The top ten all spark MASSING amounts of joy.

9. “It’s All Love (History of Funk)” is one of the best songs in the sequel! I love the way the funk trolls go through the history of funk and music, and the beats are amazing and the lyrics are so good and the movie’s scene is SO GOOD. I can’t articulate how much I love that the funk trolls show their history through album covers instead of scrapbooks like the pop trolls. All the vocalists are crazy talented and something about the beat just...yes. It’s just a yes.

8. “Yodel Beat”! It scores surprisingly high if you haven’t seen Trolls: World Tour but if you HAVE seen it, you’ll understand why! It’s one of the best songs for musically punctuating a moment that the entire franchise has and I still get goosebumps thinking about how that scene was executed and how this song played such a massive role in it. Big fan, big fan!

7. "I'm Coming Out" / "Mo' Money Mo' Problems" is just hilarious! I love this scene in Trolls, as it’s the first example we have that Trolls and Bergins can work together, as well as the fact that Bergins can be happy without eating trolls, since Bridget is so confident and awesome! I also give lots of points to mashups and medleys and this was an unexpected one that just worked!

6. "Just Sing (Trolls World Tour)" is the best song in the sequel, hands down! When all the leaders of the different troll counties sing together? It’s amazing, every single time! It’s so meaningful, the fact that music is the most important thing in all of their lives and how it’s what ultimately unites them. I shed a tear every time, honestly. I’m tearing up thinking about it right now.

5. "Hello" in Trolls is performed EXPERTLY by Zooey Deschanel. Did anyone know she was that funny? Because holy carp! She’s hilarious! I love this song and scene, it was one of the first scenes in Trolls that made me realize this movie was on a whole other level! It had to be top five!

4. "Get Back Up Again" by Anna Kendrick aka Poppy has to be a high scorer! It’s an original for the movie and it’s so damn good! It’s optimistic and encouraging and I love it for the movie and the character but I also love to listen to it when I need some help getting up or feeling like it’s going to be a good day. I will get back up again! It’s a great philosophy and a fantastic reminder that life can knock you down but that you’ll be good!

3. Top three times! The best medley in the movie has to be here, and that’s "Move Your Feet" / "D.A.N.C.E." / "It's a Sunshine Day"! It’s our introduction to the Pop trolls in the first movie and it’s crafted so good! I love it! No matter how many times I listen to it, it makes me so so happy the way the songs flow together. Any world where these songs exist and fit together as well as they do is a world I want to be sucked into for at least the next two hours of my life.

2. THE FILM VERSION OF “TRUE COLORS”! Is my number two pick! It has to be! It’s so impactful and emotional and romantic and if I ever get somebody to want to marry me, an instrumental cover of this has to be our first dance song, I’m sorry. It’s so beautiful! And the film version somehow makes an amazing song even better! WHEN THE TROLLS HUG TIME WATCHES CHIME OFF IN THE TUNE OF THE SONG?! AS THEY FACE THEIR IMPENDING DOOM?! IT’S AMAZING, SHOWSTOPPING, LEGENDARY, ICONIC. I’m getting sweaty just thinking about it!

1. If you know me, you knew “Can’t Stop the Feeling”, the film version, was gonna be number one! The buildup to that moment in the movie is cinematic perfection, the performance is dazzling, and the feeling it leaves in you is unforgettable. It’s the song that’s played when the trolls teach the Bergins that you don’t need to eat other sentient species to be happy, you just need to find the magic and music inside of you, and it’s a lesson I learned while watching -- this movie and this song unlocked a power inside of me to smile and be happy with just myself and it’s absolutely... it’s just everything. It’s everything and I love it and I love you, whoever you are, who sent me this ask, because getting to think about and go through all the songs in Trolls that I love, it was awesome.

honesty hour!

#answered #Anonymous

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smokeybrand · 2 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Thank You for Your Pains

The Outstanding

The Verdict

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